Russian occupation forces are, likely, planning a new armed provocation in the territory of Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine has said.

"For this purpose, the 'military counterintelligence department' of the FSB [Russian Federal Security Service] has been spreading information among its occupation personnel about alleged preparations of the Ukrainian security and defense forces for an assault on the ZNPP," it said on the Telegram channel on Wednesday.

The occupiers' special service claims that an "assault" on the nuclear power plant will be organized in late July and that "assault groups" and unnamed "volunteer armed units of Ukraine" will be involved in the operation.

"The spreading of such information may evidence that the occupiers are preparing a false-flag operation that would cause a large-scale disaster at the ZNPP. Reportedly, new imitation of shelling attacks on the power plant are being prepared with a view to accuse Ukraine of committing them," the Ukrainian intelligence said.

It also recalled that information about mining of the power plant's territory, several power units and the cooling pond has been published numerous times since the occupation of the ZNPP on March 4, 2022.

"Irresponsible actions of the Rushists have numerous times led to breaking nuclear safety rules and caused emergencies at the largest in Europe nuclear facility. Such actions are an obvious act of nuclear terrorism. Ukraine has stated numerous times that only the return of the ZNPP under full control of Ukraine and the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] as well as creation of a wide demilitarized zone around the power plant can guarantee its safe operation," the Ukrainian intelligence said.